LIDAR Vegetation Object Model (VOM)

The LIDAR derived Vegetation Object Model (VOM) is a raster product produced as part of the Environment Agency’s “Keeping Rivers Cool” project. It is an attempt to identify riparian tree cover and the opportunities for tree planting to increase future shading of streams & rivers. The dataset has been produced by complex GIS modelling of the Environment Agency national LIDAR programme 1m elevation data into discrete objects, with spatial proximity queries against features in Ordnance Survey mapping and Sentinel 2 imagery aiding in the classification of vegetation and non-vegetation objects. The result is a raster product where each pixel represents the height of top of canopy above ground, for all classified vegetation objects above a threshold of 2.5 metres. The data production is fully automated, with no manual QC and editing of the output, other than visual checks. Because of the process to classify objects based on proximity to features within OS mapping there could be some mis-classifications of objects not included in the OS mapping (especially static caravans, shipping containers, large tents / marquees, coastal cliffs and new buildings constructed directly under tree cover). This is a first release of this dataset, the quality of the production methods will be reviewed over the next year, improvements will be made where possible. As there are many potential environmental applications for an open data, national coverage, high resolution Vegetation Object Model the product will be released for all national LIDAR programme survey data captured by the Environment Agency. The Vegetation Object Model is available to download as 5km GeoTiff tiles in the same structure as the other derived products from the national LIDAR programme. Contained within each 5km zip file is the Vegetation Object Model and a hillshade raster produced by adding the VOM onto the Digital Terrain Model. Please refer to the metadata record: https://environment.data.gov.uk/dataset/2e8d0733-4f43-48b4-9e51-631c25d1b0a9 for downloading all other products derived from the national LIDAR programme, including the digital surface and terrain models, intensity rasters or point cloud.